The Hebraica collection of the Bavarian State Library

The Hebraica Collection of the Bavarian State Library is one of the major collections of its kind in the world, having survived the Second World War without losses or damage. It was founded by Duke Albrecht V subsequent to the acquisition of the private libraries of Johann Albrecht Widmanstetter in 1558 and of Johann Jakob Fugger in 1571. In the 19th century the collection was greatly expanded by acquisitions of numerous manuscripts and printed works in connection with the secularization of Bavaria's monasteries in 1803, the merger of the Mannheim Royal Library and the Munich Royal Library in 1804, and the purchase of the library of the French orientalist Etienne Quatremere in 1858. Most of the manuscripts are described in two printed catalogues, while all printed works are included in the electronic library catalogue.